Pope Francis Just Gave Us One More Great Reason to Love Him Yet

The news: Pope Francis demoted conservative U.S. cardinal Raymond Burke on Saturday in a decision that reflects the Vatican's loosening stance on major social issues, such as welcoming homosexuals to the church.

Since gays are becoming more and more accepted in Catholic households with gay children, AND gay catholics are leaving or just not as active in the local Catholic churches from how it used to be a decade ago; the Pope is feeling the pressure to welcome and slowly accept the exodus of catholics who still practice their faith, but don't bother to attend Sunday Mass anymore. It is all a scam my friend, that is all it is!

It may be strategic or financial strategy, and as head of a large corporation I guess that's reasonable to a limited degree, but I don't think so. I think he's a true reformer dragging a corrupt bunch of petty potentates into the true purpose of the church. I'm an atheist from the Episcopal church so I've got no dog in this hunt. I think he's a truly good man.

Haven't followed the church much but just from reading that my sense is this public caning might have been as much if not more a matter of correcting insubordination than of sending up a signal of some future correction of doctrine. Time will tell.

article:

The former archbishop of St. Louis is one of the staunchest critics of Francis' modern approach to the faith. "Many have expressed their concerns to me," the outspoken Burke told a Spanish Catholic weekly last week. "There is a strong sense that the church is like a ship without a rudder."

Seems while up on dry dock the xcardinal smacked his forehead on the church's rudder.

Has the Pope told all the churches in Africa to stop saying "condoms are evil", helping to quell the HIV/AIDS epidemic in poorer, scientifically-ignorant, superstitious societies? Has he paid recompense to the victims of childhood molestation, and given all documents related to the pedophilia scandal to Italian and International Authorities with his blessing of "Arrest these criminals and give them the trial they deserve, rather than sweeping them under the rug like the Vatican did?"

And is this Burke still a ranking member of the Catholic Church, on the Church's payroll, despite his ''demotion''? If so, then aside from a slight dock in paycheck, and fewer microphones to use in his speeches, I honestly don't see a change.

I see less "Pope is doing good", and more "Pope is guiding the Catholic Church into a new age, as the Church is forced to accept that certain antiquated views on matters such as homosexuality could constrict the Church's funding unless positive publicity focused on 'change' takes place."

The man is a Latin and the Latinos have always had a loosey goosey approach to their Catholic faith which is directly opposite of the northern European Catholicism of the Polish (John Paul II) and German (Benedict XVI. This is curious considering the Church in Latin America is losing faithful to more hardcore, judgmental, anti gay Evangelical Protestant sects.

Also, it will be a long time coming before the Church changes her stance on homosexuality. The current pope is just saying it is not his place to judge the heart of gay people which has always been the Church's teaching. The Church will judge actions but not what is in the heart of the sinner. For example, stealing is a sinful act. Period. No if ands or buts. You steal you have violated one of the commandments. The reason why you stole - hunger; haven't eaten in days - lessens the guilt imparted to the sinner. Someone who steals flat screen TVs after a natural disaster is on a whole other level of sinfulness than someone who steals food after the same natural disaster.

The Church will continue to teach that homosexuality is "intrinsically disordered" and sinful but will emphasize it less and less until in a few hundred generations from now it will be forgotten and homosexual acts will be accepted as a legitimate form of expression of love between two persons of faith. The next logical step will be the allowing of same sex couples to be married in the Church. However, I do not see this happening in my lifetime or anytime within the next five hundred years or so.

timmm55 saidThe news: Pope Francis demoted conservative U.S. cardinal Raymond Burke on Saturday in a decision that reflects the Vatican's loosening stance on major social issues, such as welcoming homosexuals to the church.

As a lapsed Catholic, I think he's great. But why not just go Episcopalian?

Because the Episcopal Church is a ship without a rudder or sails and is cast upon the ocean adrift on the currents and tides of the zeitgeist of the age in which it finds itself. That's how I see it anyway.

timmm55 saidThe news: Pope Francis demoted conservative U.S. cardinal Raymond Burke on Saturday in a decision that reflects the Vatican's loosening stance on major social issues, such as welcoming homosexuals to the church.

As a lapsed Catholic, I think he's great. But why not just go Episcopalian?

Because the Episcopal Church is a ship without a rudder or sails and is cast upon the ocean adrift on the currents and tides of the zeitgeist of the age in which it finds itself. That's how I see it anyway.

Well, better an organization that can learn and progress than one that condemns anyone that questions a silly position rooted in superstition or ignorance or self-serving power games.

I live my life in good conscious and that is more important than some organization that tries to control government and maintain its membership numbers through fear and guilt...disgusting!Mind you, it's more disappointing that all the Catholics that rarely follow or believe in church doctrine don't rise up, complain and leave the church. Oh yeah, I remember why, the "fear and guilt" gets in the way. Been there, done that but I had the courage to say "goodbye".

My neighborhood newsletter went around to interview all the local churches on gay rights and published a column with nothing but condemnation. I was one of a handful that rose up with a blistering, educational opposition and was met with the most repugnant, reprimand from the newsletter editor accusing me of attempting to muzzle the charter rights of the newsletter. Sadly, the opposing point of view and my editorial letter was never published. Not one gay or straight or religious person also opted to oppose this inflammatory hatred.

UndercoverMan saidDestin, you forget that the Episcopal Church was founded upon a "self serving power game."

"The" Episcopal church? Aren't there 2 Episcopal churches now - one that follows the archbishop of Canterbury and a mostly African and Southern US one (now there's a surprising coalition) that wants to return to the 17th century?

26mileman saidRemind me again why I need the Pope or any religious affirmation?

I live my life in good conscious and that is more important than some organization that tries to control government and maintain its membership numbers through fear and guilt...disgusting!Mind you, it's more disappointing that all the Catholics that rarely follow or believe in church doctrine don't rise up, complain and leave the church. Oh yeah, I remember why, the "fear and guilt" gets in the way. Been there, done that but I had the courage to say "goodbye".

My neighborhood newsletter went around to interview all the local churches on gay rights and published a column with nothing but condemnation. I was one of a handful that rose up with a blistering, educational opposition and was met with the most repugnant, reprimand from the newsletter editor accusing me of attempting to muzzle the charter rights of the newsletter. Sadly, the opposing point of view and my editorial letter was never published. Not one gay or straight or religious person also opted to oppose this inflammatory hatred.